Investigating the role of academics in the Algerian national innovation system

الملخص EN

The increasing role of innovation, in generating revenues and enhancing competitiveness, was capitalised by the emergence of the National Innovation System theory.

The theory stresses on the role of an interactive network among distinct institutions and elements, in the public and private sectors, to determine the innovative performance within the borders of a country.

Various models that emerged addressed the changing role of universities.

Modern universities participate in the creation of talented workforce and generate new enterprises.

Researchers at universities, in addition to their mission of education, lead programs of various kinds for various entities or start their own projects.

This means that university goes beyond the 'Ivory Tower' and becomes a pivotal actor in the innovation system and economic and social development.

The lagging Algerian universities, with their limited relationship with their environment, constitute the focal point for this study by addressing the role of academics in innovation network.

The primary results showed tendencies of academics to collaborate with their faculty's mate or local colleagues with the same scientific background; fewer of them cooperate with colleagues from research institutes, while most of them denied co-authoring from the industrial or governmental sector.

Furthermore, results show that only associate professors tend to accentuate their research activities.